EL3024 by Beckhoff

The EL3024 analog input terminal is manufactured by Beckhoff and belongs to the EL EtherCAT Terminals series. As a modular I/O component, it digitizes process signals from field devices and transmits them over the EtherCAT network so motion controllers or PLCs can use them in closed-loop tasks such as pressure or flow regulation. It occupies a single terminal width on the DIN rail and draws its logic supply directly from adjacent modules, making it a space-efficient choice for distributed measurement nodes within industrial automation.

Each terminal provides four analog input channels. Conversion is handled by a 12-bit successive-approximation converter that produces 4,096 discrete values per sample. The front end tolerates up to 10 V of common-mode voltage, allowing sensors that float slightly away from the local ground to be measured accurately. A preamplifier stage includes a low-pass filter with a 1 kHz cutoff to reduce high-frequency noise before sampling. All operating power and EtherCAT communication clocks are delivered through the system's E-bus, eliminating separate supply wiring and enabling simple plug-together expansion.

The housing has an IP20 ingress protection rating suitable for protected cabinets, and the terminal can be installed in any orientation. The unit uses multiplexed channel selection, and the resulting data occupy 2 bytes of status data plus 2 bytes of value data per channel in the process image, providing fixed byte offsets for PLC mapping. Measurements are referenced to a differential ground to suppress errors caused by field potential shifts, while open-circuit detection indicates wiring faults. The terminal tolerates up to 95% relative humidity without condensation. It does not support CoE storage, so configuration data must be reapplied when a replacement terminal is installed.